Apparatus and method for cleaning edge director

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for cleaning an edge director, and more particularly, to an edge director cleaning apparatus that includes two or more nozzle pipes arranged to be parallel to each other, nozzle tips respectively provided at first ends of the two or more nozzle pipes, fuel manifolds respectively connected to second ends of the two or more nozzle pipes, and a fixing guide configured to fix the nozzle pipes, wherein the nozzle tips extend in an oblique direction with respect to an extending direction of the nozzle pipes. When the apparatus and method for cleaning an edge director according to the present disclosure are used, devit can be safely removed without damage to the apparatus while reducing downtime.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An edge director cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a first nozzle pipe comprising a first nozzle tip positioned at a first end of the first nozzle pipe, the first nozzle tip configured to dispense a first flame in a first flame direction of a first flame axis, wherein the first flame direction is configured to extend toward and intersect a first side of a fusion draw plane outwardly spaced from the first nozzle tip; 
 a second nozzle pipe comprising a second nozzle tip positioned at a first end of the second nozzle pipe, the second nozzle tip configured to dispense a second flame in a second flame direction of a second flame axis, wherein the second flame direction is configured to extend toward and intersect the first side of the fusion draw plane; and 
 the first flame direction and the second flame direction converge and intersect. 
 
     
     
       2. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first flame axis does not intersect the second flame axis. 
     
     
       3. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a fuel manifold is connected to a second end of the first nozzle pipe. 
     
     
       4. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fixing guide configured to fix a position of the first nozzle pipe relative to the second nozzle pipe. 
     
     
       5. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first nozzle pipe is configured to rotate about a first rotation axis. 
     
     
       6. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first nozzle pipe is configured to rotate from 3° to 15° about the first rotation axis. 
     
     
       7. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first flame direction extends at an oblique angle relative to the first rotation axis. 
     
     
       8. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the oblique angle is within a range of 60° to 75°. 
     
     
       9. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling apparatus at least partially surrounding the first nozzle pipe and the second nozzle pipe. 
     
     
       10. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the cooling apparatus entirely surrounds the first nozzle pipe and the second nozzle pipe. 
     
     
       11. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third nozzle pipe comprising a third nozzle tip positioned at a first end of a third nozzle pipe, the third nozzle tip configured to dispense a third flame in a third flame direction of a third flame axis, wherein the third flame direction is configured to extend toward and intersect a second side of the fusion draw plane that is outwardly spaced from the third nozzle tip; 
 a fourth nozzle pipe comprising a fourth nozzle tip positioned at a first end of the fourth nozzle pipe, the fourth nozzle tip configured to dispense a fourth flame in a fourth flame direction of a fourth flame axis, wherein the fourth flame direction is configured to extend toward and intersect the second side of the fusion draw plane; and 
 the third flame direction and the fourth flame direction converge and intersect. 
 
     
     
       12. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the fourth nozzle tip is configured to extend as a mirror image of the first nozzle tip about the fusion draw plane, and the third nozzle tip is configured to extend as a mirror image of the second nozzle tip about the fusion draw plane. 
     
     
       13. The edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the third flame axis does not intersect the fourth flame axis. 
     
     
       14. A method of cleaning an edge director of forming apparatus of a fusion drawing machine with the edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , the method comprising:
 drawing a sheet of molten glass from the forming apparatus along a fusion draw plane; 
 removing a first devit on a first surface of the edge director by dispensing a first flame from the first nozzle tip; 
 guiding molten glass from falling on the first nozzle tip by dispensing a second flame from the second nozzle tip; 
 removing a second devit on a second surface of the edge director by dispensing a fourth flame from the fourth nozzle tip; and 
 guiding molten glass from falling on the fourth nozzle tip by dispensing a third flame from the third nozzle tip. 
 
     
     
       15. A method of cleaning an edge director of a forming apparatus of a fusion drawing machine with the edge director cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 drawing a sheet of molten glass from the forming apparatus along a fusion draw plane; 
 removing a devit on a surface of the edge director by dispensing a first flame from the first nozzle tip; and 
 guiding molten glass from falling on the first nozzle tip by dispensing a second flame from the second nozzle tip. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first flame axis does not intersect the second flame axis. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, before removing the devit, reducing an amount of molten glass flowing toward the edge director by tilting the forming apparatus with respect to a tilting axis that is perpendicular to the fusion draw plane while drawing the sheet of molten glass from the forming apparatus. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the forming apparatus is tilted within a range from 0.1° to 0.5° about the tilting axis. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising reducing a volumetric flow rate of molten glass being supplied to the forming apparatus within a range from 5 volume % to 20 volume % before removing the devit. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising removing edge rollers from a location of the fusion drawing machine, and then installing the edge director cleaning apparatus at the location prior to removing the devit.